Telegraphic key.



No. 876,391. PATENTED JAN. 14, 1908. R. K. PATTERSON. TBLBGRAPHIG KEY.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 29. 1906.

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PATENTED JAN. 14, 1908. R. K. PATTERSON.

TELBGRAPHIG KEY.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.29.'1906.

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13 j m nim lllllv UNITED STATES PATENT @lFlETCE.

ROY K. PATTERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSlGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MARTHA PATTERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TE LE GRAPHIC KEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14, 1908.

Application filed December 29. 1906. Serial No. 350.056.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROY K. PATTERSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telegraphic Keys; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the-letters of reference marked thereon, which form. a part of this specification.

Usually a telegraphers sending and receiving instrument consists of a single pivoted key or lever adapted when oscillated vertically to make and break the circuit at each impulse. Each actuation of such a key requires a distinct muscular effort, continuously bringing into play the same muscles, eventually inducing telegraphers cramp and frequently expert operators are forced to seek other employment because of their inability to send, for this reason. This will be more fully realized by reference to the Morse alphabet in which all letters numbers and many other characters require each, one or more distinct impulses of the key and consist of one or more dashes and usually a plurality of dots. Some characters require as many as six actuations of the key. Many characters are represented wholly or in part by a plurality of dots and to send these rapidlyrequires skill and considerable muscular effort. To relieve the operator in part from the muscular strain occasioned, mechanical devices have heretofore been devised to permit the dashes to be made by one key, the dots by another, the keys being ar ranged to operate laterally, thus the signal is made or character formed by swinging the keys from side to side. This of course also requires much practice to enable an operator used to other keys to send successfully. Furthermore owing to the character of the movement required this necessitates a much greater movement of the arm and wrist than is required for operating vertically acting keys and, of course, results in greater fatigue.

The object of this invention is to provide a sending instrument provided with twokeys, both of which work vertically as usual, one of which is employed in forming the dashes and the other of which operates vertically to form any desired number of dots mechanically, by a single impulse.

section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

It is a further object of this invention to afford a device of the class described in which the rapidity of the formation of the dot may be mechanically regulated.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a construction in which the dash key may be operated by the first or index linger of the hand and the dot key may be operated by the fourth or little finger.

It is also an object of the invention to afford a construction of extreme simplicity, strength and durability, in which the parts are so constructed that they will not readily get out of order and which can always be quickly adjusted by one not prew iously skilled, and which enables sending to be performed with accuracy and with much greater rapidity and case than has heretofore been possible.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and more fully pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a Fig. 4 is a section taken on line -l4 of Fig. 1 Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the wiring.

As shown in the drawings: A, indicates the insulated base or slab on which the mechanism is secured, and which may be of any suitable material.- Secured thereto near one edge, are the binding posts BB for the circuit conductors. A key (7, of the usual type is pivoted as shown, upon a support 0, which affords a fulcrum therefore and is provided at one end with a button 0, as is usual for manual engagement and at the other end is provided with a set screw 0 which normally engages upon any suitable metallic support therefore and is held in engagement therewith by means of a leaf spring 0 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Said key is also provided as is usual with a set screw 0' which extends through the bar or lever thereof and is adapted to engage a contact 0 secured upon the base to make the circuit. ltigidly secured upon said slab or base A is an upwardly extending bracket l), having set screws (Z(Z engaged in vertical alinement thereon, as shown in Fig. 8 and between which is pivotally engaged a vibrator bar D. This, as shown, extends at a right angle with the key 0 and toward the opposite end of the base and is yieldingly connected with a vibrator rod (1 by means of a leaf spring (2 which, as shown, is engaged on the rear side ofsaid vibrator bar, as shown in Fig. 1, and is of a length to afford a slight space of separation between the adjacent end of the same and the rod (1*. Secured upon the base and near the end of the vibrator rod (Z is a post (1, and adjustably engaged thereon transversely the rod (Z is a stop comprising a rod (Z the end of which adjacent the vibrator rod is provided a resilient button d, of rubber or other suitable material, which acts to absorb the vibra tion of said rod when contacting said stop. The stop may be readily adjusted toward or from the normal position of the rod d by means of a set screw 61 which engages the same to the post. Secured on said base at the rear side of said vibrator bar and adja.

cent the longer end thereof, is a post D provided with a set screw cl, therein at its top on which is engaged a spring (1, the opposite end of which is engaged to the vibrator bar. Said spring acts normally to hold said bar with the vibrator rod (1 positively engaged against the stop (1*. On the opposite side of said vibrator bar from the post D", is a post D provided with a set screw (Z directed transversely the vibrator bar and adapted to engage the longer end of the same and afford a stop therefor. Secured on said base between said post D and the outer end of the vibrator rod is a post E, having secured thereon a leaf spring 6, bent to extend substantially parallel the rod (Z between said post and said rod, and adapted to contact a metallic collar 6 rigidly but adjustably secured on said rod. Said collar and said spring are each provided with coacting points, adapted to afford a suitable electrical contact. A weight E is adjustably secured on said rod (P, by means of a set screw 6", and by adjustment toward or from the outer end of said rod varies the rapidity of vibration.

Pivotally supported upon a post f, similar to the post 0 for the key C, is a key F, provided with a buttonf, whereby the same is actuated, and provided also with a set screw j adjacent the buttons adapted when the key is depressed to engage a suitable striking piece f on the base. Said key is provided at its opposite end with a set screw f normally held in engagement with the base by means of a leaf spring f engaging beneath the outer end of the key. Said key and spring are identical in form and construction with the key C and the leaf spring 0 The inner end of said key F is beveled downwardly and rearwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, and engages normally against the upwardly and forwardly inclined inner face of the vibrator bar D so that when the key F is depressed the shorter end of said bar is forced rearwardly thereby throwing thelonger end forwardly into contact with the stop d on the post D and vibrating the rod (Z rapidly.

The device may be wired in any suitable manner as shown a lead wire 9 extends from the binding post B inwardly and connects with the bracket D, for the vibrator bar and a conductor 9 connects said bracket with the post 0, affording the fulcrum for the key C. A conductor 9 leads from the contact plate for the key C, to the post E, on which is the contact spring 6, for the vibrator rod. As shown, a switch G of any suitable. kind, is connected in the conductor 9, and is adapted to engage a contact 9 a wire 9 leads from the wire g*, to said contact plate, 9 and a wire g, leads from said contact plate to the binding post B.

The operation is as follows: In sending, the key 0, is used to form the dashes and the key F, to make the dots. Each contact by the key 0, completes the circuit through the conductors g, g, g, g and 9 when the switch G is opened, as shown in Fig. 5. Usually said key is operated as heretofore by the index finger of the operators hand. The key F, which forms the dots, is usually operated by the fourth or little finger of the operators hand and for this purpose, in forming one or any number of dots, the key is merely depressed thus throwing the longer end of the vibrating bar forwardly into contact with the stop 03, on the post D The resiliency of the spring (Z and contact springs 0, acts to vibrate the rod 61*, repeatedly making and breaking the circuit, by contact of said collar e, with'the contact spring 6. The rate of vibration, of course, is determined within reasonable limits by the longitudinal adjustment of the weight or ball E, on the vibrating rod. When the required number of dots have been made the key F, is released and the spring d, instantly acts to retract the vibrating bar to normal position, bringing the end of the rod 01 posi-. tively into engagement with the button (Z on the end of the stop (i The circuit formed by means of the key F, flows through the conductors g the vibrator bar and rod 61 to the contact spring 6, and post E,

thence by the conductors g and 9 to the contact plate 9 and thence the conductor 9* to the binding post B. Of course, should it be desired to cut out the keys it may be instantly accomplished by shifting the switch G to engage the contact plate g thereby short circuiting both keys.

From the construction described it is obvious that all movements of the keys are produced by the vertical movement now universally used by operators, with the exception that instead of striking a plurality of vertical blows to produce a given number of dots the key F, or that producing the dots, is merely depressed and held in that position until the desired number of contacts have been made, in this manner avoiding the considerable effect necessary in send ing, to less than one-third that heretofore required.

Obviously the circuits may be otherwise arranged if desired and various details may bevaried without departing from the prineiples of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a telegraphing instrument an electrical circuit, a dash key adapted to make and break said circuit, a vertically acting dot key, a bar contacted thereby when depressed and a vibrating bar resiliently supported by said bar adapted when the vertically movable dot key is contacting said first named bar to vibrate one or more times.

2. In a telegraphing instrument, the combination in an electrical circuit of a dash key adapted to make and break the circuit, a corresponding vertically acting dot key secured adjacent thereto but not connected in the circuit, a support adjacent the end of the dot key, a bar resiliently supported therefrom actuated by vertical movement of the dot key and vibrated by contact between said dot key and the support for the same to make and break said circuit one or a plurality of times for each actuation of said dot key.

3. A device of the class described embracing in combination a telegraphic circuit key for transmitting dashes, a vibrating bar adapted by vibration thereof to make and break said circuit rapidly in transmitting dots, a vibrator bar, resilient means engaged thereto at one end and supporting said vibrating bar at its free end and a vertically acting key for actuating the vibrator bar, thereby vibrating said vibrating bar and the number of dots transmitted being dependent upon the period of time said key is held depressed.

4. A device of the class described embracing in combination a telegraphic circuit key for transmitting dashes, a vibrating bar adapted by vibration thereof to make and break said circuit rapidly in transmitting dots, a pivoted support having resilient con nections with said bar and a vertically acting key adapted to contact and actuate the support thereby actuating said vibrating bar and the number of dots transmitted being dependent upon the period of time said key is held depressed.

5. In a device of the class described a telegraphic instrument embracing in combination with a telegraphic circuit a dash key for transmitting dashes, a similar dot key adjacent thereto but out of circuit, a vibrating bar connected in the circuit and having an inclined face on the side thereof adjacent to and adapted to be engaged by said dot key whereby when said key is depressed said bar is swung. horizontally, a rod yieldingly secured to and in alinement with said bar, a spring contact supported adjacent said rod and connected in circuit and adapted to be contacted by said rod rapidly during the period said. key is held down and a weight adjustable on the bar for varying the rate of vibration.

6. In a telegraphic instrument a vertically acting dot key, a vibrator bar adapted by depression of said key to be moved in a horizontal plane and a vibrating bar resiliently supported thereby adapted to vibrate to close a circuit one or more times when said key is actuated.

7. In combination with an electric circuit a dot transmitting device comprising a bar, a vibrating rod resiliently engaged thereto, a vertically movable key adapted to contact said bar thereby vibrating said rod and making and breaking the circuit to transmit one or more dots for one actuation of said key and means stopping the vibration of said bar upon releasing the key.

8. In a telegraphic instrument a key movable vertically, a bar pivoted to be actuated thereby, a vibrating member resiliently engaged to said bar and vibrated on a horizontal plane by vertical movement of the key, a contact adjacent the vibrating member, a contact adjustable on the vibrating member adapted for one actuation of the key to contact the adjacent contact one or more times to transmit one or more dots and means limiting the length of the vibrations.

9. In a device of the class described the combination with a slab of a bar pivoted thereto, a spring rigidly engaged to the bar, a rod rigidly engaged to the spring, a stop on one side of said bar, a contact point engaged to the slab, a removable contact carried on the rod, a key adapted by vertical movement thereof to contact said bar to move the same to engage said stop thereby rapidly vibrating the rod to throw said contacts into and out of engagement one or more times and means returning said bar to normal immediately the key is released.

10. In a device of the class described the combination with a bar, a vibrating rod, flexible means connecting said bar and rod, a stop adjacent the bar, a contact adjacent the rod, a vertically movable key adapted by depression thereof to contact said bar thereby imparting horizontal vibrations to said rod to engage said contact one or more times, means absorbing the vibrations of said rod, means returning said bar to normal after the key is released and means regulating the rapidity of the vibrations.

11. In a device of the class described the combination with telegraphic circuit of a dash transmitting key, a depressible dot transmitting key having an angular end, a bar having an angular face against which the end of the key bears and actuated by contact with said key, a rod resiliently engaged to and vibrated by said bar one or more times for each vertical actuation of said dot key, contacts forced into and out of engagement by said vibrating rod and a Weight adjustable on said rod adapted to regulate the rapidity of said vibrations.

12. A dot transmitting device comprising a bar, a vertically movable key and means resiliently supporting said bar and con- 10 tacted by the key adapted to impart vibrations in a horizontal plane 'to the bar for each vertical movement of the key.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

ROY K. PATTERSON.

Witnesses:

O. W. HILLS, K. E. HANNAH. 

